


Of Ilu, and Mol, and the Creation of the Earth

by philmophlegm (bunn)



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Author: Sauron, Creation Myth, Gen, In-Universe Document, Lies, Sauron is a weaselly bastard, Second Age, The Silmarillion According To Thû, written for a roleplaying game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-07 21:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18240461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunn/pseuds/philmophlegm
Summary: A creation myth thought to originate in the realm of Ib-Narad, east of Mordor.





	Of Ilu, and Mol, and the Creation of the Earth

**Author's Note:**

> This was written by my husband, Silmarillion RPG GM and occasional beta-reader, pp. Because the Silmarillion has somehow become daily life in our household.
> 
> * * *
> 
> After his defeat at the hands of the Eldar and the Numenoreans in The War of the Elves, in the year 1701 of the Second Age, Sauron retreated from the northwest of Middle-earth. Unable to seduce Elves to his cause, he identified the Men of the east and south as potential allies. He remained faithful to his old allegiance at this time, still seeing himself as a servant of Melkor.
> 
> Those Men of the east and south had heard only rumours of the acts of the Eldar and the Edain in the First Age. Sauron set out to create a religion of Melkor (or “Mol”), with an important place for himself (“Thû”) in that faith (as originally one of the Valar). “Of Ilu, and Mol, and the Creation of the Earth” takes the place of the Ainulindalë, the Valaquenta and the first three chapters of Quenta Silmarillion. It gives a creation myth portraying Melkor and Sauron in a positive light, while showing the Valar (or ‘Ain’), and their servants, the Ents, Dwarves and Elves, as the enemies of Men.
> 
> This was the creation myth spread by the priests of Mol, starting in the realm of Ib-Narad, east of Mordor, and spreading over the course of the Second Age to most of the Mannish realms of the east and south.

**Of Ilu and Mol**

At the beginning of all things was Ilu and the Void; and Ilu was alone in the Void.

Ilu made first His Son, whom He named Mol; and for time unmeasured, Ilu and Mol dwelt together in the Void. Ilu taught to Mol much of His thoughts and His wisdom.

Then Ilu spake unto Mol, saying “We must give Form to the Void, for what cometh after will dwell not in the Void”, but Mol was afraid, and said “Lord, I know naught of Form.” Then Ilu made the Ain, great spirits, to help them. And Ilu said unto Mol, “To each of these spirits I will show a part of my wisdom, but to you I will show all, and you alone shall know my Purpose, and to you shall be given rule over the Ain, and of the Form that we shall make.” 

 

**Of the Ain and The Songs of Ilu**

Now Ilu called Mol, His Son, and all of the Ain to Him, and He said unto them “Together, we shall make a great Music, and we shall sing of the Form that shall Be”. And Mol led the Ain in song because Ilu had shared with Mol more of His thought than He had shared with any of the Ain. But each of the Ain added to the Music, as Ilu had intended.

Now the mightiest of the Ain are Sulimo, and Varda his spouse; Ullu; Ôl, and Ivon his spouse; Thû; Nefrea, and Gwîr his spouse; Losfan, and Îdh his spouse; Núri; Araw, and Vána his spouse; Ender, and Nessa his spouse. To each of these, Ilu gave great skill; and in the Music, each sang a part.

Ilu sang first, and Ilu sang of Earth, and lo, there was Form among the Void; and now Mol, who is the Son of Ilu, led the Ain in song. And the Ain sang of that which Ilu had revealed to them and to Mol. Sulimo sang of wind and air, and there was breath upon the Earth. Varda sang of stars and sky, and there were stars above the Earth. Ullu sang of water, and there were seas and lakes and rivers and streams upon the Earth. Ôl sang of mountains and hills, and the Earth was shaped. And Ivon sang of things that grow and live, and there were trees and plants and animals on the Earth.  And this was the First Song of Ilu.

And the Ain looked at the Creation of their Music, and beheld that it was good and beautiful. 

And now Ilu sang again, and He was joined by Mol and by Thû. And Mol and Thû sang of Men, for to Mol and to Thû had Ilu revealed most of his thoughts concerning Men. And this was the Second Song of Ilu. 

And the other Ain beheld Men but understood them not. Ivon asked Ilu, “Lord, what are these Men? For I have sung about all things that walk upon the Earth, and yet I know not of these Men.” And Ilu replied to Ivon, “To you indeed was given knowledge of all things that walk upon the Earth that have not souls, but to Mol and Thû alone was given knowledge of Men, and Men shall be the Masters of the Earth, and of the Air above the Earth, and the Waters below the Earth, and of the things that grow and live upon the Earth”.

Yet still the other Ain understood not the Fate of Men. And Sulimo said unto Ilu, “Lord, should it not be I who reigns over the Air above the Earth?” And Ilu said unto Sulimo, “Nay”. And Ullu said unto Ilu, “Lord, should it not be I who reigns over the Waters upon the Earth?” And Ilu said unto Ullu, “Nay”. And Ôl said unto Ilu, “Lord, should it not be I who reigns over the Mountains and Hills of the Earth?” And Ilu said unto Ôl, “Nay”. And Sulimo and Varda and Ullu and Ôl and Ivon were envious of Men, for they sought dominion for themselves over the Earth. And they were envious of Mol and of Thû, who alone knew of the Fate of Men. But they shared not their thoughts, though Ilu, who knowest all things, beheld the envy in their hearts.

And now Ilu sang for a third time, and He was joined by Mol and by Nefrea and Gwîr, and by Losfan and Îdh, and by Núri, and by Araw and Vána, and by Ender and Nessa. And Mol sang of the majesty and Fate of Men, though only Thû and Nefrea of the Ain understood any but a small part of that Fate. And even Nefrea, who knows and remembers nearly all things that were or shall be, understood not the Last Fate of Men. And Gwîr sang of the Great Deeds of Men, though she understood them not. And Losfan sang of the Dreams of Men, though he understood them not. And Îdh sang of the Pain of Men, though she understood it not. And Núri sang of the Grief of Men, though she understood it not. And Araw sang of the hunting of beasts by Men, though he understood it not. And Vána sang of the eating of fruits of the land by Men, though she understood it not. And Ender sang of the might of Men in arms, though he understood it not. And Nessa sang of the dance and play of Men, though she understood it not. And this was the Third Song of Ilu.

**Of The Labours of Mol and the Ain**

Now Ilu spake unto Mol His Son and unto the Ain, saying “Lo! You have sung the Song of Earth and Men. Behold the Earth!” And Mol and the Ain beheld the Earth, and it was good and beautiful. And Ilu gave the Earth unto Mol and spake unto him “Go down into the Earth and make it ready for the Coming of Men. See that there is land for them to walk on, sweet waters for them to drink, fresh air for them to breathe, and good things that grow and live for them to eat. Take with thee the Ain, that they may serve thee in thy labours. Only when the Earth is ready shall Men awaken.”

And Mol and the Ain went down into the Earth, and for immeasurable ages of the Earth, they laboured to ready the Earth for the coming of Men. And always Mol laboured the hardest, for only Mol knew the Last Fate of Men, and he loved them the most. And Thû also laboured long and hard for the good of Men to come, for Ilu had shown to Thû more of the nature of Men than he had shown to any other of the Ain.

 

**Of the Betrayal of the Ain**

Now there came a day, when the great labours of Mol and the Ain were nearing their end, and Mol gathered the Ain to him upon the Isle of Almaren, that in those days lay at the centre of the Earth, in the midst of the Great Lake. Mol said unto the Ain, “Behold the Earth that you have laboured to form. Almost is it ready for the day when Men shall awaken. And Men shall stride over the Earth and they shall be the Masters of the Earth. And on that day, you may rest, and your sleep will be well-earned.”

But envy of Men and of their coming mastery of the Earth had been growing in the hearts and minds of the Ain. Chief among these was Sulimo. In secret, he called the Ain to his home in the Great Mountains in the West of the Earth. Even Ullu came from the depths of the Ocean. And Varda was there, and Ôl and Ivon, and Thû, and Nefrea and Gwîr, and Losfan and Îdh, and Núri, and Araw and Vána, and Ender and Nessa. 

And Sulimo said unto the other Ain “We have laboured long and hard. Why should we yield mastery of the Earth to these Men who have laboured not? Should they not serve us as gods?” Varda said “Men should revere my stars”. Ôl said “Men should give thanks that they live on my lands”. Ivon said “Men should pay in service for the food they eat”. And many of the Ain agreed with Sulimo and Varda and Ôl and Ivon. Ullu said “Men will not hold dominion over the Seas and the Oceans, though I grant them mastery of the rivers and inland waters.” 

Only Thû, who alone of the Ain had seen the thoughts of Ilu concerning Men, spoke against Sulimo, saying “We are none of us gods. Only Ilu and Mol His Son are rightly gods, and only they can hold dominion over Men.” And Sulimo was angry, and the Ain rose up against Thû, and Ender, who is mightiest in strength of all the Ain, cast him down from the mountain, and left him. And Thû lay sleeping for an age of the Earth.

**Of the Men Who Are Not As Men**

Knowing that the Age of Men was nigh, the Ain laboured again, as Mol laboured again. 

Now at this time, there was twilight upon the Earth, and the only light upon the Earth was the light from the stars of Varda. Mol fashioned two great Lamps in the south of the Earth and in the north, and the light from these lamps lit all of the Earth, save for the land west of the Great Mountains where Sulimo dwelt with Varda, the lands under the Earth where Ôl laboured, and the deep Oceans that were Ullu’s realm. And those realms were in shadow, and hidden from Mol.

Now Sulimo and Ôl and Ivon had listened to the Second Song of Ilu and knew something of the form of Men, though they understood not the true Fate of Men. Varda said to them, “Since you know the form of Men, ye shouldst make your own, and they should serve us and worship us as gods, as is our due”. And Sulimo and Ôl and Ivon took heed of Varda’s words and they created not Men, but men as they deemed them to be.

To Ivon had Ilu given knowledge of all things that grow in the Earth, and she made men as trees, tall and mighty, but slow. And Sulimo and Ôl beheld these creatures of Ivon and knew that they were not as Men.

To Ôl had Ilu given knowledge of all things made of rock and stone, and he made men from stone, short and ugly, but hard and brittle. And Sulimo beheld these creatures of Ôl and knew that they were not as Men, but different and that they could have worth. And the rock-men, the Ôlnar, worshipped Ôl as their creator and ever after gave him honour as the one who had fashioned them, though it was Ilu himself who gave them life, after a fashion. But the life of the Ôlnar was brief, and swift their form failed.

 

**Of the Life Eternal**

Now Sulimo said unto Ôl, “As Men will have Life Eternal, so must our servants”, but Ôl knew not the secret of Life Eternal. Only with Mol had Ilu shared that most sacred of knowledge. But Varda had spied upon Mol, and she told Sulimo her spouse and the other Ain that the Life Eternal was to be found on the Isle of Almaren, but Mol himself guarded it. 

Now the Ain vowed to wage war on Mol before the coming of Men, and to take the secret of Life Eternal for themselves, to bestow on their servants. And Ender, who is mightiest in strength of all the Ain, came to the Great Lamp in the South and threw it down. Then he came to the Great Lamp in the North, where Mol waited. And Mol said unto Ender “Why doest thou destroy that which I have made? These Lamps will shed light upon the Earth, for the greatest deeds of Men will be lit” and Ender heeded him not and fought with Mol for the mastery of the Lamp. And though Mol is the Son of Ilu, and is mighty in all things, he was tired from his labours, and Ender is mighty in strength, and Ender was the victor, and he threw down the Lamp, and Varda hid her stars, and darkness was upon the Earth. And at this time, Araw and Losfan came to Almaren, and those spirits who laboured there who were loyal to Mol and to Men to come were put to sleep by Losfan, who is the Lord of Dreams. And Araw found the Life Eternal and stole it, and took it back in secret to Sulimo.

And of all the evil acts of the Earth, none has been so evil as this. For in that theft, the Ain denied to Men their birthright of eternal life, as was given to them by Ilu himself and Mol His Son.

**Of the Usurpers**

Now Sulimo and Varda and Ôl and Ivon made again men that were not men. And they gave to them the Life Eternal that they had stolen from Men so that they would not wither or die. And they were tall and beautiful and undying, but being born of treachery, they were always creatures of evil. In later days they would ever hate Men. These were the Elves, the Usurpers. And Sulimo set the Usurpers by the shores of a bay of the Great Inland Sea that was formed in the ruin of the Lamp of the North, and waited for them to awaken.

Now the Ain took up arms against Mol, and they destroyed Mol’s home on the Isle of Almaren. Mol and those spirits loyal to him fled to the north of the Earth and Mol built the great fortress of Utum, mightiest and loftiest and most beautiful of all places on the Earth that have ever been, to defend against the Ain. Fankil, chief of the spirits of the air was with him, and Gothmog, chief of the spirits of fire. 

Now at this time, Thû awoke from his age-long slumber at the foot of the Great Mountains of the West. He came to Almaren and saw that the Ain had betrayed Mol. Then he searched for the place where Men lay sleeping, but he found it not, for the land had been greatly changed in the ruin of the Lamps. Then he came to Utum and told Mol of the betrayal of the Ain.

**Of the Siege of Utum and the Chaining of Mol**

Sulimo and Varda and the Ain determined to rule over the Earth, and once again took up arms against Mol. Their great host besieged Utum, and many a battle was fought before its gates. Mol summoned Thû and said unto him, “Go now, flee the siege of your brothers and sisters, and seek for Men who are yet sleeping. Hide them and protect them from the Ain and their servants the Usurpers.” And Thû, who was skilled in the changing of form, escaped the siege.

But finally, the defences of Utum were breached, its lofty towers felled and Mol was fought and defeated again by Ender, and taken in chains to the dungeons under the Great Mountains of the West. Utum was utterly destroyed, and Ullu brought forth his ocean in a great deluge. And for ages of the Earth, the Ain tortured Mol, so that he would share the place where Men slept and the secret of the Last Fate of Men. But Mol did not betray Men.

**Of Thû and the Awakening of Men**

Now the Ain woke their servants the Elves, and the Usurpers spread across the face of the Earth. Some Sulimo chose to summon to the West, where they would serve him and the other Ain as slaves. Others the Ain left in Middle-earth to find Men, who yet slept in secret, hidden from the Ain. But it was Thû who first found Men, and watched over them while they slept, keeping them safe from the weapons of the Usurpers. And when they awoke, it was Thû who taught them speech, and the making of fire, and of tools, and the hunting of beasts and the growing of food. And Thû has always loved Men, for alone of the Ain, Thû sang in the Second Song of Ilu.


End file.
